Sermon Resources

September 20 - "You're Included"

Ephesians 2 describes Christ destroying the dividing wall of hostility. What walls—social, political, spiritual, cultural or personal—still influence whom you move toward and whom you keep at a distance?
Jesus welcomed people from very different backgrounds without abandoning truth. Do you ever treat disagreement as a reason to withhold relationship, attention or love?
“Hospitality is not a strategy for securing agreement.” How would your relationships change if you remained present with people even when disagreement remained?
Martin Luther King Jr. contrasted asking, “What will happen to me if I help?” with asking, “What will happen to them if I do not?” Where are comfort, inconvenience or fear shaping your response to another person?
Christian community carries risk and requires us to surrender some control. What comfort, preference or expectation might God be asking you to release so that someone else can be known and included?
Who is God asking you to make room for this week? Whose name could you learn, whose story could you hear, or whom could you invite to share a meal?

Ephesians 2:11–22 — Christ destroys the dividing wall, brings those who were far away near and makes strangers members of God’s household.
John 3:1–21 — Jesus makes room for Nicodemus, a Pharisee who comes with questions.
Luke 7:36–50 — Jesus eats in Simon the Pharisee’s home and welcomes the woman Simon judges.
John 4:1–42 — Jesus crosses ethnic, religious and social boundaries in his conversation with the Samaritan woman.
Luke 8:1–3 — Women travel with Jesus and participate in supporting his ministry.
John 14:6 — Jesus declares that he is the way, the truth and the life.
Matthew 7:13–14 — Jesus describes the narrow road that leads to life.
Acts 4:12 — Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus.
John 17:18; John 20:21 — Jesus sends his followers into the world as the Father sent him.
Mark 10:17–22 — Jesus welcomes the rich young ruler while speaking truthfully about what holds his heart.
Acts 10:1–11:18 — Peter enters Cornelius’s home, and the early church struggles to accept that Gentiles have been included.
Romans 15:7 — Welcome one another just as Christ welcomed you.
Luke 10:25–37 — The Good Samaritan considers what will happen to the wounded man if he does not stop.

Understanding Biblical Hospitality
- How would you have defined “hospitality” before hearing this sermon? How has the sermon expanded or challenged your understanding of hospitality?
- The sermon describes biblical hospitality as “love of the stranger.” Who would count as a “stranger” in our context today? Think beyond someone we have literally never met.
- Why do you think hospitality is something Scripture commands of Christians, rather than simply something that some people are naturally gifted at?
- The Gospel itself can be understood through the framework of hospitality: God welcomes strangers and makes them friends and family. How does this picture help you understand the Gospel differently?

“You’re Invited”
- “You’re invited!” What does it mean personally for you that Jesus invites sinners to follow Him?
- Repentance is not merely looking at our failures but as looking toward God's love and the new life Christ offers. How does this understanding of repentance differ from simply feeling guilty about our sins?
- What might prevent someone from believing that Jesus really would invite them? How can the church either reinforce or challenge those perceptions?
- Think about someone you know who may feel that they are “not good enough” for God. How could you communicate the invitation of Jesus to that person in a way that is both truthful and gracious?

Hospitality That Costs Something
- Sometimes hospitality means inviting someone into our space; sometimes it means accepting an invitation into theirs. Which of these is more difficult for you—and why?
- What are some ways Christians can practice hospitality without compromising biblical convictions while still genuinely loving people who don't share those convictions?
- Jesus was willing to enter environments and relationships that religious people considered inappropriate. What might this look like for a Christian today?
- What is the difference between being present with people who don't follow Jesus and simply adopting their values or lifestyle?

Hospitality in a Polarized Culture
- Our culture is increasingly characterized by “dis-invitation”—people withdrawing from relationships because of political, cultural, or ideological differences. Where do you see this happening in Canadian society?
- How can social media contribute to making us suspicious or fearful of people we've never actually met?
- What would it look like for a Christian to practice hospitality toward someone with whom they strongly disagree politically or culturally?
- Is it possible to disagree deeply with someone while still making them feel welcomed, valued, and loved? What would that require?

Hospitality as a Church
- Think about someone walking into our church for the first time. What might make them feel genuinely welcomed? What might unintentionally make them feel like an outsider?
- What is the difference between having a friendly church and having a culture of biblical hospitality?
- What could our church do to become better at welcoming people who don't already look, think, or live like the people who are currently here?
- If Jesus' approach to people became the defining characteristic of our church, what would be different about the way we welcome, speak to, eat with, serve, and relate to people in our community?

Romans 12:13
- Christians are commanded to practice hospitality and care for those in need.
1 Peter 4:9
- “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
Titus 1:7–8
- Hospitality is listed as a characteristic required of an overseer/leader.
Hebrews 13:2
- Christians are told not to neglect hospitality to strangers; reference to entertaining angels.
Isaiah 25:6–9
- God's future kingdom is pictured as a great banquet where God removes death, wipes away tears, and welcomes His people.
Luke 5:27–32
- Jesus calls Levi the tax collector, Levi hosts Jesus at a banquet, and Jesus explains that He came to call sinners to repentance.
Luke 15:1–2
- Tax collectors and sinners gather around Jesus because He welcomes sinners and eats with them.
Luke 6:27-36
- Jesus commands His followers to love their enemies, do good to them, and bless them, reflecting the character of the Father.
Ephesians 4:3–6
- Christians are called to maintain unity in the Spirit, bound together by peace: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father.

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